Posted October 15, 2016 by Jonelle Patrick Animals

The Cat Island With No Cats

This was supposed to be a picture of dozens of eager kittehs roaring up the stairs to partake of my squid snax. — This was supposed to be a picture of dozens of eager kittehs scampering up the shrine stairs to mob me for my squid snax.

So, I went to one of Japan’s famed cat islands…and didn’t see any cats. Well, okay, I saw a few, but nothing like the Bunny Island mobbing I was hoping for.

Hey, if you'd checked our contracts, you'd KNOW that May to October is NAPTIME, especially during the daylight hours when the ferry brings would-be cat tourists — Hey, if you’d checked our contracts, you’d KNOW that May to October is NAPTIME, especially during the daylight hours when the ferry brings would-be cat tourists

This ought to have been the sampler pack, not the "look at the vast number of cats here!" shot — This ought to have been the sampler pack, not the “look at the vast number of cats here!” shot

Just imagine there are a hundred more of these

At least the ones I saw had attitude — On the steps of the Hardly Any Cats Here Shrine, this one finally threw me a bone and tossed off a just-like-in-the-ukiyoe-prints pose

Notes to self:

Apparently, there is more than one “famous cat island” in Japan
The middle of the day (which in cat-reckoning means 9-5) is for sleeping in a secrit shady spot NO EXCEPTIONS
Cats are not as friendly as bunnies, but more friendly than hedgehogs

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The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon

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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

Jonelle Patrick View All

Writing mystery books set in Tokyo is mostly what I do, but I also blog about the odd stuff I see every day in Japan. I'm a graduate of Stanford University and the Sendagaya Japanese Institute in Tokyo, and a member of the International Thriller Writers, the Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters In Crime. When I'm not in Tokyo, I live in San Francisco. I also host a travel site called The Tokyo Guide I Wish I'd Had, so if you're headed to Japan and want to check out the places I take my friends when they're in town, take a look!